Gravel a Gimmick? I beg to differ

 Some commentators suggest that Gravel is a gimmick. Sure, I don’t subscribe to all its nuances, but lightweight drop bar builds with the ability to traverse unmade roads have been cemented in my psyche, since 1986. I suddenly found myself contemplating another bar switch, this time to some On-One Midge. A flared design that I was initially sceptical about but stealthily grew on me, back in 2005 However, I quickly recalled that these Soma Fabrications Condor 2 SOMA CONDOR 2 SHALLOW DROP BARS | (sevendaycyclist.com) shape was great for the fixed and optimal for Ursula. 

Gravel clothing also lends itself very nicely to other genres- touring and indeed everyday riding thanks to its rugged materials. I’ve switched from my defaults, the Shimano RX600 Shimano SH RX600 Gravel Cycling Shoes | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) back to their more compliant, less racy MT701 GTX Shimano MT701 GTX SPD Shoes | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com)

Primarily since I’ve stubbed my toe and the GTX are a little roomier at the toe box. Soles are more compliant, so lack the RX600’s razor-sharp power transfer but still offer excellent support and are a little more comfortable sans bike.  

A good bet for touring, commuting and general riding. If you’re on a relatively tight budget, FLR Rexton Touring/Trail shoe FLR REXSTON ACTIVE TOURING/TRAIL SHOE | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) are another rugged, versatile choice. Laces and Velcro lack the refinement and convenience of the boa systems and the emphasis is more on the lighter side of trail/gravel duties. However, they’ve stood up to wintry roads and other, not-so-balmy weather very well.     

Arguably, Polaris Bikewear’s discontinued Challenge range stole a march on this mixed terrain clothing narrative. POLARIS CHALLENGE NEXUS SHORTS TEST AND REVIEW (sevendaycyclist.com)  POLARIS TRAVERSE MEN'S JERSEY REVIEW (sevendaycyclist.com) not forgetting the Pioneer jacket, POLARIS CHALLENGE PIONEER WINDPROOF JACKET REVIEW (sevendaycyclist.com) I still wear these during spring and summer months.  

Pearson Cycles Adventure range and specifically, their red adventure long sleeve Cycling Jacket is my new favourite. It’s a bridge garment, in the jersey cum jacket vein. Reckoned to withstand a fast-paced encounter with a Hawthorne hedge, there’s a great blend of retro and modern.  

The main fabric is 65% recycled polyester, 25% recycled Coolmax and 10% Lycra.  The chest panel is overlain with Millerain. There are two deep breast pockets and a further two at the rear. One big poacher type for generic capture-all, the other for a mini pump. 

Gravel helmets also bridge the gap between genres very nicely. Bell Muni Urban Sport Helmet was another, now-dropped design ahead of the trend. Peak, 21 vents and LED lights at the rear ensured it performed well on and off road, touring and commuting. It also blended nicely with road and mtb threads and didn’t look out of place on a road-biased touring lorry, either.  

Looking at the current catalogue, the Bell Trace LED helmet looks the closest comparator. Madison Cycles Madison.co.uk – The UK’s largest cycle parts & accessories distributor sent me this Lazer Chameleon, which is another design intended to cross between gravel, touring, commuting and light trail duties.  Ours is the medium, which tips the scales at a respectable 283g and is the “lowlier” non-MIPS version (£20 cheaper).  

It features a crash replacement program, meaning a replacement can be bought at a discount, which hopefully you’ll never need. The Advanced Rollsys adjustment system is designed for a precise fit- crucial if a helmet is to do its job effectively. Rather than the big thumbwheel, there’s a smaller, splined dial at the top, and the cradle system avoids pressure points, while ensuring a clear, unhindered exit for ponytails.  

A peak, 13 large vents continue the versatile narrative. Ours is the two-tone matt blue, but there are other matt colours- black, white and red. Matt colours require a little more care and dedicated “polishes” but nothing outlandish, in my experience. Finish and specification are pretty much what I’ve come to expect from this end of the market.  

The polycarbonate shell doesn’t extend around the rim, leaving it slightly more vulnerable to the usual everyday carelessness but no more so than similar designs. In common with the Bell models, it is designed to accept a dedicated (aftermarket) light, but I’ve also found several others, including the Magicshine Seemee (100, 180 and 200-lumen models) a perfectly good fit, ditto the slightly heavier and now discontinued Xeccon Mars 60 TESTED: XECCON MARS 60 COB REAR LIGHT (sevendaycyclist.com)   

Thirteen vents might not sound particularly airy but thus far, they’ve been gulping in a decent and continuous flow of cooling air, without the painful “ice cream” headaches that can strike on long, fast, chill descents. Wind noise is also reassuringly absent and I’m forming a fondness for it-as if you couldn’t tell.  Same goes for Ursula’s new 2x10 Deore setup... Ending on a related note, here's my review of the Feedback Sports Cassette PliersFeeback Sports Cassette Pliers | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com).    

DIY Mount & Deore

 Large-scale manufacturing is very much a thing of the past here in the UK. There is a sense in which the nation still yearns for this, possibly as an antidote to a palpable sense of managed decline.  

There also seems a romanticised idea of the post-war period, and a yearning for its return. Hmm...petrol rationing, communal outdoor toilets, no, or extremely limited access to contraception, abortion and widespread austerity...Be careful what you wish for... One of those things I often reflect on, through the dark lanes in the wee small hours. 

I’ve always been very drawn to highly skilled people-their intelligence, humility and eagerness to learn is very infectious. Now, the relevance of this backstory? Finding a suitable mount allowing the TRP HYRD to fit a fork’s IS mount. John Moss and I were discussing our respective projects- he's been upping the gearing range on his beloved Mango.  

He seemed confident and moreover, offered to make a mount from stainless steel. I had an appointment in the midlands that week, so popped the TRP HYRD calliper, red mount, and severed Kinesis fork (as templates) into a box and 18-year-old but much-loved Specialized messenger bag. 

Upon my arrival, he ushered me and my stash to the garage and then, to the workshop. I had my trusty compact camera in pocket, so took various shots in alternate positions for John to refer to. Nonetheless, John remained convinced he could machine something bespoke, from stainless steel. 

 

He’d trace around the red mount and possibly mill some slots for a precision fit.  Now, this wasn’t urgent- the TRP SPYRE SLC were in good health and highly functional and I didn’t want John feeling under pressure or distracted from his own projects. However, I don’t like things that aren’t ready to go, as and when I want/need them.  

Life and sometimes ideas can be cyclical. Six years since I went the 1x9 route with Ursula After The Gritters Went Home | Seven Day Cyclist and two since I switched to a Hollow Tech II crankset, I found myself contemplating a double. Serendipity had someone waving a new 36/26 175mm crankset and braze-on derailleur under my nose for a ridiculously keen price. Decision made... 

I’d a new left hand Microshift bar con, inner and outer cables, chain(s) and indeed, an STX front mech. However, this was from the original build, and I didn’t want to get side-lined by something that wasn’t going to plug and play. Make no mistake, a lot of components will adjust nicely...  

Being a 7 speed MTB mech, the pull wouldn’t be an issue, and the travel easily restricted but I thought it best to get a compatible contemporary model and keep the STX on the subs bench. 

I also had a Microshift and Sun Race front mechs (double), but these were braze- on, requiring a suitable aftermarket clamp and, being road models, were bottom pull, thus requiring an adaptor. I’d be into £30 on those alone.  

Now, I could always whip the 28.6mm STX band on clamp over to the Deore but I didn’t want to start cannibalizing stuff. I was tempted by a BBB Shift fix, but these weren’t available in 28.6.

Thankfully, M Part does. M part is Madison Cycles' in-house range and, in my experience, nicely executed. It may also mean removing the serrated section of the rear mudguard (its deliberately engineered for this purpose). I’d run bar con shifters on Ursula’s original build (Deore XT) so knew the left-hand Microshift would be fully compatible.

  

I also took that opportunity to prune an outer housing to length, making the switch cum upgrade that bit quicker. I put some helicopter tape around the seat tube, where the front mech mount would sit against the paintwork. A bit OTT perhaps but rules out marking paint, when adjusting the mech’s height/positioning.       

 

As a side note, I’ve always liked Deore and STX/RC groups. Good performance-to-price ratios. Finish is generally decent, too. Smart enough for pretty builds but rugged-great for daily drivers and working bikes. What’s the best bike? Is a question so commonly put to shop staff. The best bike is that or those that meet your riding needs. The same applies to components- horses for courses, essentially.  

Good planning and preparation are key-I've even found these KMC magic link pliers, which I’d had for a decade, or so but believed lost during the last move. I’d secreted them inside a Lezyne pannier of similar heritage. Even with the stock 11-25 cassette, I’d have a range between 26.8 and 84.3 inches. With an 11-28, I’d be looking at a bottom gear of 23.9. However, I have a quiet (possibly unfounded) concern this would put the Tiagra mech under potential strain.  

Might be a red herring but I didn’t want it imploding like the Sun Race and Micro shift did-at the least convenient moments. Not that there’s a fun time for a component’s expiry. In terms of chain length, some sites suggest I will have no issues with chains of 100 links, but this seems a little short to me. I’ll go with the existing 110 and place a little less stress on the system.  

I’ve decided to wait until the unseasonably wintry March and potentially awkward start to April pass- no sense giving the new components unnecessary exposure to the elements. It also means I could switch to the fixed gear winter trainer, should I need to “pause” with Ursula’s upgrade. That said; I’ve switched the spikes in favour of the Maxxis Maxxis Overdrive Excel Tyre | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) and reached my CST Xpedium CST Xpedium Tyres | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) conclusions.   

Why not a triple? Well, simply put, this would be excessive/unnecessary and a chore to keep harmonious year-round. A 26-inch (or 23.9) gear is more than sufficient torque for most gradients and contexts the old girl and I are likely to meet. 84 inches is tall enough for bombing without blowing knees, or spinning myself into another dimension-although some might suggest that might be desirable, given the UK’s present trajectory.   

 

I’m holding on to the single ring deore but I’ve decided it’s time to move the 170mm, Shimano Zee, since it’s a downhill crank and surplus to my requirements. Right, time for a change of lube...